Allen leaving Celts for Heat

Ray Allen will take less money for a chance at another NBA championship.

Allen told the Miami Heat on Friday night that he intends to accept their contract offer and leave Boston after five seasons, even though the Celtics could pay him about twice as much as the reigning NBA champions will be able to next season. Miami could only offer Allen the mini mid-level, worth about $3 million a year.

Heat owner Micky Arison tweeted the news.

Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade hugs Boston Celtics' Ray Allen (20) after the Heat defeated the Celtics in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference Finals NBA basketball playoffs in Miami, Florida, June 9, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

"I was just woken up with great news," Arison wrote. "Welcome to the family." Arison ended the tweet by making mention of Allen's jersey No 20, and didn't mention the NBA's leading 3-point shooter by name.

A person briefed on details of the decision told The Associated Press that Arison got the word from Heat president Pat Riley, who made Allen the team's top free-agent priority - especially in recent days. Allen, who will be 37 this month, arrived in Miami on Thursday for a visit, went to dinner with Riley, coach Erik Spoelstra, team executive Alonzo Mourning and others on Thursday night, then left on Friday to presumably decide his future.

Hours later, the choice was made. Allen's agent, James Tanner, confirmed the decision to the AP not long after Arison's tweet.

Allen, who made a career-best 45 percent of his 3-point attempts this past season cannot officially sign until Wednesday because of the league's moratorium.

Allen becomes the latest player to be sold by Riley on the notion of sacrifice since the blockbuster summer of 2010. The Heat convinced LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all to take less money than they could have made elsewhere in that offseason, so there would be enough room left to add players like Udonis Haslem, Mario Chalmers and Mike Miller.